Young Champions teams earn trip to nationals

Thursday

Jan 17, 2013 at 9:00 AMJan 17, 2013 at 9:46 AM

The Three Rivers Young Champions cheerleaders rocked the Delta Plex in Grand Rapids this past weekend, bringing home three state championships and having two teams headed to national competition.The Three Rivers teams attended regional competition Dec, 8, where four out of five teams qualified for the state competition. The All-Star Division 4 and Elite Division 5 teams competed Saturday. Division 4 took first place in the medium-size category and earned a bid to nationals. The Elite team also took first place in the large-size category and also earned a bid to nationals. On Sunday, Star Division 2 and All-Star Division 3 teams took the floor. Stars finished in third place in the large-size category and Division 3 took first place in the small-size category. The Division 4 All-Star team and Division 5 Elite team will attend nationals July 27 in Virginia Beach, Va. The Young Champions program includes boys and girls from Three Rivers and many surrounding areas including Sturgis, Vicksburg, Marcellus, Colon, Mendon, and northern Indiana. Boys and girls on the teams range in age from 4-16. Cheerleaders practice once a week to learn full routines that include dance, cheer, stunts, jumps and tumbling. “We offer classes for beginning through advanced students,” said Coach Caroline Goodall. “For anyone interested in checking out our program, we will be accepting new cheerleaders at our Registration night on Feb. 7 at Hoppin Elementary in Three Rivers.” Ages 4-9 register at 6 p.m. and ages 10 and up register at 6:45 p.m. For more information, email Goodall at coachcarolineg@gmail.com.Goodall began assistant coaching the Three Rivers Cheer teams in winter of 2008. In September of 2010, she took over the teams as head coach. “I lived in Vicksburg when I started coaching, but moved to East Lansing to attend school at Michigan State University,” she said. “Despite the long drive, I could not give up coaching in Three Rivers. I just love the kids way too much. Our team is like a big family.”Goodall said the cheerleaders “just love each other and it makes it that much more amazing to coach the teams and see how amazing they can perform together.” She has two assistants who help at every practice — Avey Lefler and Bailey Patterson help with cheer classes as well as instructing tumbling classes. “They are both great with the kids and have just as much passion and love for the teams as I do,” Goodall said. “Since I have coached in Three Rivers, our teams have continuously grown each season. But it seems the larger our teams get, the more talented they become, and the closer they bond with each other. Our cheerleaders work hard at practice, and are always practicing at home as well. They are far deserving of this amazing opportunity.”This is the first time that Three Rivers Division 4 team has qualified for nationals since 2009 and the first time that Three Rivers Division 5 team has ever qualified for nationals.“Our program welcomes cheerleaders from beginning through advanced levels, and all cheerleaders have the opportunity to compete at competitions,” Goodall said. “Each session our teams attend regional competition, and if they qualify they are able to attend state competition as well.”